School of Chemical and Physical Sciences brochures Physics Astrophysics brochure 2019 | Página 21

PHYSICS AND ASTROPHYSICS | 21 Beyond the curriculum SPARK There are opportunities for Physics and Astrophysics students at Keele outside of the set curriculum, that can enhance and complement your skills, interests and employability. SPARK is the official Physics and Astrophysics society at Keele, and winner of the Best Academic Society for 2016/17! There is a thriving Physics and Astrophysics society (known as SPARK) who organise activities and events. Keele Observatory hosts a community of astronomers from the university and the wider area and is open to all on a weekly basis. Students can become involved in our outreach through the observatory and also through the Keele Student Ambassador scheme; we have a portable planetarium that visits schools and has won a national award for outreach and widening participation. The society was founded in 2015 to create a support network for physics students across all years and a platform for students to develop their passion for physics beyond their studies. We are affiliated with the IOP (Institute of Physics) and UKSEDS (UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space). Through these ties, we have a lot of opportunities for collaborations and outreach with these institutions. We regularly enter a team into a national UKSEDS competition; in 2016/17 this was the National Rocketry Championship. During this competition our team was required to design, build and launch a mid-power rocket from scratch. After months of hard work, we managed to launch successfully and went on to win this competition! For 2017/18 we have entered the Lunar Rover Competition. So far our team has passed the first two stages of the competition and been invited to the final stage. This is where the remaining teams will gather and test their rover in conditions, similar to those met on the lunar surface. For these competitions, we welcome students of all disciplines to enter! (students in computer science have been particularly helpful when designing the rover!) We host regular events including “socials” in the student union, film and gaming afternoons, and visits to Laser Quest . Each week we hold a revision session, where students come for a quiet space to work with other physics students. Find out more about SPARK at keelesu.com/activities/society/SPARK/ If you have any questions about the society, or suggestions for what you’d like to do if you choose to come to Keele, please email: [email protected]. keele.ac.uk/physics